my lady caprice(我的无常夫人)-第13部分
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this moment he was wrapped in balmy slumber。 Despite my warning
grasp； the Imp chuckled； but we were saved by the band striking up。 Mr。
Selwyn rose； giving his arm to Lisbeth； and they re…entered the ball…room。
One by one the other couples followed suit until the long terrace was
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deserted。 Now； upon Lisbeth's deserted chair； showing wonderfully pink
in the soft glow of the Chinese lanterns； was the ice cream。
〃Uncle Dick；〃 said the Imp in his thoughtful way； 〃I think I'll be a
bandit for a bit。〃
〃Anything you like；〃 I answered rashly； 〃so long as we get away while
we can。〃
〃All right；〃 he whispered； 〃I won't be a minute；〃 and before I could
stop him he had scrambled down the steps and fallen to upon the ice
cream。
The wonderful celerity with which the Imp wolfed down that ice
cream was positively awe…inspiring。 In less time almost than it takes to
tell the plate was empty。 Yet scarcely had he swallowed the last mouthful
when he heard Mr。 Selwyn's voice close by。 In his haste the Imp dropped
his cap； a glaring affair of red and white； and before he could recover it
Lisbeth reappeared； followed by Mr。 Selwyn。
… 〃It certainly is more pleasant out here！〃 he was saying。
Lisbeth came straight towards the cap…it was a moral impossibility that
she could fail to see it … yet she sank into her chair without word or sign。
Mr。 Selwyn； on the contrary； stood with the empty ice plate in his hand；
staring at it in wide…eyed astonishment。
〃It's gone！〃 he exclaimed。
〃Oh！〃 said Lisbeth。
〃Most extraordinary！〃 Said Mr。 Selwyn； fixing his monocle and staring
harder than ever； 〃I wonder where it can have got to？〃
〃Perhaps it melted！〃 Lisbeth suggested； 〃and I should so have loved an
ice！〃 she sighed。
〃Then； of course； I'll get you another； with pleasure；〃 he said and
hurried off； eyeing the plate dubiously as he went。
No sooner was Lisbeth alone than she kicked aside the train of her
dress and picked up the tell…tale cap。
〃Imp！〃 she whispered； rising to her feet； 〃Imp； come here at once； sir！〃
There was a moment's breathless pause； and then the Imp squirmed
himself into view。
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〃Hallo； Auntie Lisbeth！〃 he said； with a cheerfulness wholly assumed。
〃Oh！〃 she cried； distressfully； 〃whatever does this mean； what are you
doing here？ Oh； you naughty boy！〃
〃Lisbeth；〃 I said； as I rose in my turn and confronted her； 〃Do not
blame the child … the fault is mine … let me explain； by means of a ladder …
〃
〃Not here；〃 she whispered； glancing nervously towards the ball…room。
〃Then come where I can。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃Not at all； you have only to descend these steps and we can talk
undisturbed。〃
〃Ridiculous！〃 she said； stooping to replace the Imp's cap； but being
thus temptingly within reach； she was next moment beside us in the
shadows。
〃Dick； how could you； how dared you？〃
〃You see； I had to explain；〃 I answered very humbly； 〃I really couldn't
allow this poor child to bear the blame of my fault … 〃
〃I'm not a 'poor child；' Uncle Dick；〃 expostulated the Imp； 〃I'm a
gallant knight and … 〃
〃 … The blame of my fault； Lisbeth；〃 I continued； 〃I alone must face
your just resentment； for … 〃
〃Hush！〃 she whispered； glancing hastily about。
〃 … For； by means of a ladder； Lisbeth； a common or garden ladder … 〃
〃Oh； do be quiet！〃 she said； and laid her hand upon my lips； which I
immediately imprisoned there； but for a moment only； the next it was
snatched away as there came the unmistakable sound of some one
approaching。
〃Come along； Auntie Lisbeth；〃 whispered the Imp； 〃fear not； we'll
rescue you。〃
Oh！ surely there was magic in the air to…night； for； with a swift；
dexterous movement； Lisbeth had swept her long train across her arm； and
we were running hand in hand； all three of us； running across lawns and
down winding paths between yew hedges； sometimes so close together
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that I could feel a tress of her fragrant hair brushing my face with a touch
almost like a caress。 Surely； surely； there was magic in the air to…night！
Suddenly Lisbeth stopped； flushed and panting。
〃Well！〃 she exclaimed； staring from me to the Imp； and back again；
〃was ever anything so mad！〃
〃Everything is mad to…night；〃 I said； 〃it's the moon！〃
〃To think of my running away like this with two … two … 〃
〃Interlopers；〃 I suggested。
〃I really ought to be very； very angry with you … both of you； she said；
trying to frown。
〃No； don't be angry with us； Auntie Lisbeth；〃 pleaded the Imp；
〃'cause you are a lovely lady in a castle grim； an' we are two gallant
knights； so we had to come an' rescue you； an' you never came to kiss me
good…night； an' I'm awfull' sorry 'bout painting Dorothy's face … really！〃
〃Imp；〃 cried Lisbeth； falling on her knees regardless of her silks and
laces； 〃Imp； come and kiss me。〃 The Imp drew out a decidedly grubby
handkerchief； and； having rubbed his lips with it； obeyed。
〃Now； Uncle Dick！〃 he said； and offered me the grubby handkerchief。
Lisbeth actually blushed。
〃Reginald！〃 she exclaimed； 〃whatever put such an idea into your
head？〃
〃Oh！ everybody's always kissing somebody you know；〃 he nodded；
〃an' it's Uncle Dick's turn now。〃
Lisbeth rose from her knees and began to pat her rebellious hair into
order。 Now； as she raised her arms； her shawl very naturally slipped to
the ground； and standing there； with her eyes laughing up at me beneath
their dark lashes； with the moonlight in her hair； and gleaming upon the
snow of her neck and shoulders； she had never seemed quite so
bewilderingly； temptingly beautiful before。
〃Dick；〃 she said； 〃I must go back at once … before they miss me。〃
〃Go back！〃 I repeated； 〃never … that is； not yet。〃
〃But suppose any one saw us！〃 she said； with a hairpin in her mouth。
〃They shan't；〃 I answered； 〃you will see to that； won't you； Imp？〃
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〃'Course I will； Uncle Dick！〃
〃Then go you； Sir Knight； and keep faithful ward behind yon apple
tree； and let no base varlet hither come； that is； if you see any one； be sure
to tell me。〃 The Imp saluted and promptly disappeared behind the apple
tree in question； while I stood watching Lisbeth's dexterous fingers and
striving to remember a line from Keats descriptive of a beautiful woman in
the moonlight。 Before I could call it to mind； however； Lisbeth
interrupted me。
〃Don't you think you might pick up my shawl instead of staring at me
as if I was … 〃
〃The most beautiful woman in the world！〃 I put in。
… 〃Who is catching her death of cold；〃 she laughed； yet for all her light
tone her eyes drooped before mine as I obediently wrapped the shawl
about her； in the doing of which； my arm being round her； very naturally
stayed there； and … wonder of wonders； was not repulsed。 And at this very
moment； from the shadowy trees behind us； came the rich； clear song of a
nightingale。
Oh！ most certainly the air was full of magic to…night！
〃Dick；〃 said Lisbeth very softly as the trilling notes died away； 〃I
thought one could only dream such a night as this is。〃
〃And yet life might hold many such for you and me； if you would only
let it； Lisbeth；〃 I reminded her。 She did not answer。
〃Not far from the village of Down； in Kent；〃 I began。
〃There stands a house；〃 she put in； staring up at the moon with dreamy
eyes。 〃A very old house； with twisted Tudor chimneys and pointed
gables … you see I have it all by heart； Dick … a house with wide stairways
and long pannelled chambers … 〃
〃Very empty and desolate at present；〃 I added。 〃And amongst other
things； there is a rose…garden … they call it My Lady's Garden； Lisbeth；
though no lady has trod its winding paths for years and years。 But I have
dreamed； many and many a time； that we stood among the roses； she and I；
upon just such another night as this is。 So I keep the old house ready and
the gardens freshly trimmed； ready for my lady's coming； must I wait
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much longer； Lisbeth？〃 As I ended the nightingale took up the story；
pleading my cause for me； filling the air with
